Basic Questions
Hebrew question words: מה, מי, איפה, מאין, איך, למה, מתי, כמה — and yes/no question formation
Can ask basic questions using מה, מי, איפה, מאין, איך, למה, מתי, כמה and form yes/no questions
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
מָה שִׁמְךָ? שְׁמִי דָּן.
What is your name? My name is Dan.
מֵאַיִן אַתָּה? אֲנִי מֵרוּסְיָה.
Where are you from? I am from Russia.
?הַאִם אַתְּ מְדַבֶּרֶת עִבְרִית
Do you (f) speak Hebrew?
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Hebrew question words:
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| מָה | what |
| מִי | who |
| אֵיפֹה | where |
| מֵאַיִן | from where |
| אֵיךְ | how |
| לָמָּה | why |
| מָתַי | when |
| כַּמָּה | how many/much |
Yes/No questions: Use rising intonation OR add הַאִם at the start: ?הַאִם אַתָּה סטודנט = Are you a student?
Common Error Patterns
Inverts subject and predicate to form yes/no question (applying English/German pattern)
Hebrew yes/no questions don't invert! Just add הַאִם at the start, or use rising intonation. Word order stays the same.
Confuses מָה (what) and אֵיךְ (how), or מֵאַיִן (from where) and אֵיפֹה (where)
מָה שִׁמְךָ = 'what is your name?' (identity). אֵיךְ שְׁלוֹמְךָ = 'how are you?' (state/manner). מֵאַיִן = origin; אֵיפֹה = current location.
מָה שִׁמְךָ? שְׁמִי דָּן.
What is your name? My name is Dan.
מָה = what. שִׁמְךָ = your name (שֵׁם + possessive ךָ). שְׁמִי = my name (שֵׁם + possessive י). Note: no 'to be' in answer.
מֵאַיִן אַתָּה? אֲנִי מֵרוּסְיָה.
Where are you from? I am from Russia.
מֵאַיִן = from where (מִן 'from' + אַיִן 'where'). מֵ prefix = from. רוּסְיָה = Russia. Note zero copula in the answer.
?הַאִם אַתְּ מְדַבֶּרֶת עִבְרִית
Do you (f) speak Hebrew?
הַאִם is a formal yes/no question marker placed at the start. Without הַאִם, a rising intonation makes any statement a question. אַתְּ = you (feminine).
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises